I can’t believe it’s the last week of Farm Share! And I also can’t believe we are expecting such heat for this time of year.The forecast is promising 20 degrees with sunshine on Thursday, our last day to harvest and pack your veggies. I couldn’t ask for better.

This fall, I had some curveballs thrown my way with the apples, brussels sprouts, broccoli and celery root all not turning out. But amazingly, we still had abundance and I still had choices of what to put in your boxes for the last week. That’s the beauty of growing a diversity of crops- one failed crop is not the death of us! This is actually a wonderful time of year for the cooler weather crops. The radishes look the best I have ever seen them- apparently you can eat the tops and this might be just the week to try that considering how gorgeous they are. Also, the leafy vegetables and beet tops are happy as can be as their normal pests disappear with the cold nights.

This week I am excited to have chioggia or candy-striped beets for everyone. They are the rock stars of the beet world, with their striking pink and white stripes. Simply stunning in a salad or roasted and sliced to show off their hot colours. This week I tried them raw with some quinoa- and it looked pretty and was amazingly sweet and delicious with the natural taste of the beets.

Directions
Cook quinoa according to directions. While hot, add beets, lemon juice, oil, mustard, salt and pepper, water and green onions and mix. Remove from heat and chill in the refridgerator until cool. Serve over arugula or peppery greens with the cheese of your choice!

A final note:

I feel so totally blessed by the abundance of good, clean food I have access to, and sharing it has made it all the richer. Consider the joy it would be to share some homemade soup or that item that you still have plenty of with a neighbour or friend this week. It doesn’t even matter if they are truly needy, because everyone needs to know that someone cares.

A sincere thank you to you incredible Farm Share participants that chose to support the farm this year by purchasing a Farm Share and encouraging me by your kind words, enthusiasm and creativity all year. Getting my hands (and everything else) dirty on the farm was well worth it!

Feel free to drop by the farm for a free decorative pumpkin (while supplies last) to get ready for fall/Halloween.

Greetings all! This week is the last week for those who receive their order every second week since June 15th (odd weeks). So, if it is your last week, thanks for supporting our farm through our csa box.

Hopefully you discovered a new vegetable favourite and some recipes that make your mouth water when a new vegetable comes in season. While many of the winter vegetables I was anitipating have been taking their time to be ready (celery root) or not looking so good (brussels sprouts), everyone will get either Jerusalem artichokes or parsnips this week. There are two different recipes in this post for parsnips, and the Jerusalem artichokes make a great substitute for potaotes in mashed potaotes or in shepherd’s pie. They also make a delicious creamy soup. Here is your list:

Savory Tempeh and Vegetables (vegetarian main dish) from “Simply in Season”
I have not been able to make this yet because I need to shop for some tempeh. I was excited to find a recipe using carrots, parsnips, squash, green onions, sage and garlic (you may have some left over). While I am not one to tout soy products, tempeh is more nutritious and less processed than tofu, and if you can find organic, then it will not be made from GMO soy.

Directions
1. Melt butter and olive oil in oven-safe pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add seaweed, garlic, ginger root and herbs and sautee 2 minutes.
2. Arrange tempeh on a layer on top.
3. Whisk water, soy sauce and maple syrup in a small bowl and pour over tempeh.
4. Layer onions, squash, parsnips and carrots in that order on tempeh.. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover, and bring to a boil. Transfer to preheated oven and bake at 400 degrees until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
5. With a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables and tempeh into a serving bowl. Drain back any juices into the dutch oven and place over medium heat.
6. Combine cold water, soy sauce and arrowroot powder or cornstarch and mix until dissolved. Whisk into the juices. Simmer, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Pour sauce over the tempeh and vegetables. If desired, gently fold in 2 thinly sliced green onions. Serve immediately over rice or bulgur.

Directions
1. Combine oats, cashews and flour in a medium bowl. Mix in oil and rosemary with fingers to form a crumble topping. Set aside.
2. Steam root vegetables for 10-12 minutes until just tender. Reserve the steaming water for stock. Transfer vegetables to lightly oiled 2 L baking dish.
3. In a large saucepan, saute onion in 2 tsp. oil until soft, 4-5 minutes. Stir in milk and vegetable broth. In a cup mix flour with a little milk to make a smoothe paste. Stir into saucepan. Add rosemary. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Cool sauce slightly, then puree until smooth. Pour over steamed vegetables, then sprinkle with oat topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Three weeks remain and I’ve received numerous emails from customers thinking the season is over. This is understandable, as many grocery stores stop carrying Ontario produce at this point because consmers are used to the local options being phased out in early September. Even things like lettuce are being harvested into early October, although a heavy frost could wipe them out. We are still harvesting carrots, beets and kale and still waiting for the Jerusalem artichokes and parsnips to grow a little before harvesting. The brussels sprouts do not mind the frost at all, so I normally wait until the last weeks to harvest them, when I am grateful for a new item to put in your boes. Even sweet peppers and eggplants are living on happily under a frost cover we put up. So, despite the chill that’s in the air, October is still a busy month for harvesting vegetables.

And for the recipes, now is the time for confort-food. And by comfort food, I don’t mean deep-fried! Some homemade soup is one of the best comfort foods in my opinion. I made a nice potato leek soup which I could have done with more of, with a tweak to the original recipe.

Potato Leek Soup (adapted from simplyrecipes.com)
Nice and creamy without all the fatty cream!

Ingredients
1 bunch leeks including green tops, chopped (the original recipe called for no green tops-what a waste!)
2 tbsp. butter
2 cups water
2 cups chicken, vegetable or beef broth
2 lbs. potatoes (also could use leftover potatoes, just don’t cook for as long)
1-2 tsp. dried italian herbs, or fresh herbs to taste (I used a spice mix but the recipe calls for parsley, thyme and marjoram
salt and pepper (if desired- I think I omitted these altogether)
cayenne pepper to taste (great for your immune system)

Directions
1. Cook leeks in butter in soup pot. Cover and cook on low about 10 mins. Check often and do not brown!
2. Add water, broth and potatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook 20 minutes or until tender. Spoon about 1/2 of the soup into blender, puree and return to pot. Repeat with other half. Add spices. Serves 4-6 as a side.

Roasted Winter Veggies
My favorite way to prepare beets- makes a colourful side and a great-pleaser.

Directions
1. Wash, peel and chop vegetables and place in baking dish (Corningware is perfect). Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add olive oil and spices and mix together lightly. Cover and bake about 40 mins or until vegetables are tender (carrots and beets seem to take the longest so check them).

As the variety of vegetables diminishes a little with the cooler weather, it’s a good time to try out new recipes. You never know when you’ll find your next classic!

Thanks for embarking on your local organic food adventure. It’s people like you that have kept agriculture strong in Ontario. I hope it’s been tasty!

If the cilantro is still sitting in your fridge without any plans of what to do with it, it’s great to jazz up a salad, in a fresh salsa, or in Thai, Mexican or Indian cuisine. I used my whole bunch for cilantro peanut noodles (recipe at www.food.com/recipe/peanut-cilantro-noodles-172604)

But onto Week 17, Thanksgiving! I love this holiday, as it always brings my families together and involves an indulgent feast of plenty. As you gather with your family, or even if you don’t, do everything in Thankfullness. Just check out the array of foods before you- we are rich like few other nations in the world. Doing loads of dishes? Be thankful for the family that created the dirty dishes, and the blessing of having so many. Take a walk outside and enjoy the vibrant colours of fall alongside the crispness of the air. I am always enamoured with the way the world is lit up before and after sunset, highlighting everything with a golden glow. Also consider, is there someone who is far from family that will be spending Thanksgiving alone? What’s one more mouth to feed, and I’m sure a new face will enliven the dinner conversation.

Directions
1. In medium saucepan, bring spelt and 4 cups water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 25 mins. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, on 2 baking sheets, arrange bread on single layer. Toast at 300 degrees until crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
3. Heat large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; fry, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add sauage and cook, breaking up sausage, until pancetta is crisp and sauage is golden brown, about 5 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer [ancetta and sauage to paper-towel lined bowl to drain. Discard excess fat in skillet.
4. In skillet, stir together onions, celery, garlic, sage and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 8 mins. Scrape over bread.
5. In skillet, stir together kale and broth. Cook, stirring frequently, until kale is just wilted, about 2 minutes. Scrape over bread mixture.
6. Stir pancetta mixture, spelt, tomatoes and beans into bread mixture. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Scrape into 13×9 inch pan, sprinkle with parmesan and cover with foil.
7. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, uncover and bake until top is crisp and dressing is hot, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Directions
1. In large bowl, combine kale, peas and cherries.
2. In seperate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil and umami paste. Toss with kale mixture to coat.
3. Top with almonds just before serving.

This week, choose to overlook the hangups and headaches and focus on the blessings around you. I bet you won’t have to look far!